[duxhelp] Re: Network install

To: <duxhelp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2006 08:44:51 -0500

It has been my experience that IT staff that allows users to install
their own software have many more difficulties than simply installing it
themselves. It has been my practice (with MSI) to install software by
policy (with a transform if required). Adding the flexibility to change
the license location in the network install will allow for a single
network install location to split the licenses between several different
license servers. (using "msiexec /i <path>\dbt.msi
TRNASFORMS=<path>\server1.mst /qb+" or "msiexec /i <path>\dbt.msi
TRANSFORMS=<path>\server2.mst /qb+") This would use less server
resources than "msiexec /i <path>\server1\dbt.msi" and "msiexec /i
<path>\server2\dbt.msi".
This in the end is my opinion, but it seems to be the "standard" method
of using MSI in a network environment.
+-------------------------------------------+
| Michael Surato |
| Resource Center for Persons |
| with Disabilities |
| Michigan State University |
| 120 Bessey Hall |
| East Lansing, MI 48824 |
| Voice: (517) 353-9643 Fax: (517) 432-3191 |
+-------------------------------------------+
> -----Original Message-----
> From: duxhelp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:duxhelp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Peter Sullivan
> Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 5:15 PM
> To: duxhelp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [duxhelp] Re: Network install
>
> Michael,
>
> There really hasn't been a change in the way the setup process works.
>
> It is indeed true that the "activation server" location is
> selected while running "msiexec /a". This has been true
> right along. So I suppose that you've just followed the
> instructions better. Chances are that you didn't confuse
> anybody other than me last time around. So far nobody else
> is looking at multi-user installations seriously. (We do
> have some other beta testers who will -- but they just
> haven't weighed in yet.) So my guess is that most of the
> list simply tuned out your comments.
>
> I find them valuable, but then I designed the current process.
>
> We've been working on the assumption that we'd follow your
> "plan B" -- give a careful set of instructions, with screen
> dumps and all. However, your "plan A" does make some sense
> too. I had the feeling that asking questions about the
> activation location when doing the actual software
> installation would simply confuse end users. But my
> perspective is probably tainted by the (perhaps incorrect)
> assumption that an IT person would create the installation
> image and and end user would generally do the software installation.
>
> I'll be interested in hearing from any and all network
> administrators on the validity of my assumption. Is it
> instead the case that the IT person generally sets up the
> workstation too?
>
> Now that you've been through the "msiexec /a" wringer once, I
> don't anticipate that you'll have any more problems
> specifically related to your network setup. Specifically, I
> believe that the RAID-related issues we had with DBT 10.5 are
> a thing of the past.
>
> - Peter
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: duxhelp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:duxhelp-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael Surato
> Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2006 4:33 PM
> To: duxhelp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [duxhelp] Network install
>
> Hi,
>
> The network licensing appears to work as outlined in the
> documentation for beta 3. This is either due to some work on
> the installer for this version, or (more likely) I have
> followed the steps better. What I noticed this time is that
> the location of the license server was determined during the
> "msiexec /a" process, and not configurable during the second
> install. If this was the way it worked in the last beta, then
> I apologize for confusing everyone. For reference, I have
> attached the install logs from this install.
>
> What I would suggest is a couple of items: First, I would
> think carefully about making this dialog available during the
> network install process so that the user could change which
> server to look for licenses from during this install. If this
> could switch from server based, to file based it would be
> ideal. Second, if switching from server to file based is not
> possible, then I would mention this carefully in the network
> install instructions. I would also remove the "network assisted"
> install section, as that is not possible.
>
> Now that this seems to be working, I will move to a more
> interesting model of computer that has RAID arrays and other
> such interesting things.
> Hopefully that does not completely change the environment.
>
> +-------------------------------------------+
> | Michael Surato |
> | Resource Center for Persons |
> | with Disabilities |
> | Michigan State University |
> | 120 Bessey Hall |
> | East Lansing, MI 48824 |
> | Voice: (517) 353-9643 Fax: (517) 432-3191 |
> +-------------------------------------------+
>
>
>
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